Data security is among your top priorities when you launch a digital startup. As you work towards growing your business, you want all your digital assets secure. Customer information and other data must stay within your organization to ensure growth.
Startup companies tend to be a favorite target for hackers and cyberattacks. If you want to keep your business away from prying eyes, try these strategies to give you an edge.
- Setup Your Legal Documentation
Many startups tend to overlook the importance of having legal documentation. A lawyer can help you draft your rights and your client’s rights. This can help protect your intellectual property from being stolen.
Your company needs a strong legal foundation to grow. You need to protect your intellectual property and trade secrets. The most precise way to do so is with a watertight set of terms and conditions. You must also have several documents ready to speed up business workflow.
Prepare documents that include non-disclosure agreements (NDA), vendor agreements, service-level agreements (SLA), and more. You’ll also need a privacy policy outlining how to collect, use, and store user data.
- Create Passwords Carefully
One of the basics of securing your digital information is using passwords. It’s a common strategy among businesses to create long and complicated ones. But did you know that this strategy may backfire against your data security?
Using complex, unique, and difficult-to-remember passwords makes it more susceptible to hacking. When your password is too complicated, this increases the likelihood of you using the same one for all accounts.
Having the same, easy-to-break credential for all online channels allows cybercriminals easy access to all your assets and info. When creating your credentials, you should keep them simple but memorable.
The best way to create passwords is to use memorable words, usually 2 to 4 common words, to help improve password entropy. Use uppercase combinations with one or two words, or pick a specific word that will be memorable for users.
- Use Strong Two-Factor Authentication
One way of protecting yourself from unauthorized users from accessing your data is by implementing two-factor authentication. This refers to using two forms of authentication to verify your identity. For instance, when you access your Gmail account, you may be required to enter a password, and a code sent to your phone.
2-factor authentication is one of the best ways to increase the security of your account. It’s less vulnerable to phishing and social engineering attacks. It’s also more difficult for cybercriminals to hack.
Most users in the tech industry nowadays rely on 2- 2-factor authentication. From banking and email accounts to social media, 2- factor authentication has become a staple in the digital world.
- Keep Your Software Updated
Hackers can use any vulnerabilities in your system to launch an attack. One of the best ways of protecting your business is by ensuring your software is constantly updated. All your applications and programs need proper maintenance and updates. It ensures that your system will be safe from bugs or security vulnerabilities.
Make sure that you update all your software and applications regularly. It can help prevent any system threats and help keep your company safe.
The most common types of security vulnerabilities are SQL injection and cross-site scripting. These allow outside parties to access sensitive data on your server. Another common vulnerability is server-side request forgery (SSRF), which allows attackers to launch attacks against your system.
To prevent your servers from being compromised, keep your software applications up-to-date. This way, you can patch any open holes.
- Recognize Malware And Phishing Attempts
Another cybersecurity threat that impacts most organizations is malware. It takes advantage of your computer network and steals confidential data from your internal network. Malicious software can harm your computer, including viruses, worms, Trojan horses, rootkit, spyware, and adware.
Most computer threats enter through your network. A network security system can stop most of these malicious attempts. Most malware and cybercriminal activities go unnoticed. That’s why you need to become diligent in recognizing such threats.
Check if any of your employees are receiving strange emails. An excellent way to do this is by conducting employee awareness training. Educate your staff about the signs of a suspicious email. A bad sender address, unusual language, and wrong grammar indicate that the sender is a scammer.
- Implement The “Least Privilege” Security Model
Most data breaches happen when employees are given too much access to the systems. Your staff may provide unauthorized entry or access to the wrong people. Remember this: Every user in your organization doesn’t need access to everything.
The “least privilege” model assigns rights to each user. Each user should have only the minimal amount of privileges required. Those with permission should only access any service or application with enabled features.
Your employees should have the least privilege to perform their duties. They should have the minimum amount of permissions needed to complete their tasks.
Managing users’ privileges helps limit their data access while reducing their chances of accessing sensitive files that may put the entire organization at risk.
- Encrypt Your Sensitive Files
Encryption is a method of encoding sensitive information and encrypting it. It helps protect confidential information from being accessed by anyone. It converts readable data into an encrypted format. This encrypted version can only be decoded by an authorized person using a key.
You’ll need to encrypt your files to prevent cyber-attacks. Encrypted files are protected from being accessed by third parties. If a hacker were to gain access to one of your encrypted folders, they’d only receive gibberish.
Encrypted files are much more difficult to penetrate. If a hacker attempts to steal your file, he’ll have to use a key. This makes it more difficult for the attacker to access your file, which will keep your sensitive information from being seen by anyone else who doesn’t have decryption keys.
- Enable Real-Time Backups Where You Can
Real-time backups are an effective way of keeping your assets, apps, and devices protected. It protects your critical files from being accidentally deleted or corrupted. One of the advantages of real-time backups is that it kicks at the moment your asset changes.
Real-time backups help you recover any damaged or corrupt information from your storage devices. It saves your data from the potential effects of ransomware, natural disasters, and hardware failure.
The Bottom Line
Protecting your digital startup may be a daunting task. With the right strategy and tools, you can better protect all your information and increase your odds of staying under the radar. Implement these security strategies today to ensure maximum protection for your assets.